Vdot Ends Major Work On Jefferson

December 14, 2009|By Austin Bogues, abogues@dailypress.com 247-4536

NEWPORT NEWS — Major construction has ended on Jefferson Avenue on a mile-long stretch from Buchanan Drive to Kings Ridge. The project, which is estimated to cost $14.7 million, added raised medians and expanded the road from four to six lanes.

The road work began in August 2007 and has caused previous changes in the flow of traffic, with officials at one point putting in winding, cone-separated traffic lanes. The Virginia Department of Transportation-administered project is scheduled to close in March 2010. VDOT said the project would ease congestion on the road and improve turning lanes at the Richneck Road intersection. The area previously had turning lanes indicated only by yellow lines on the road which VDOT spokeswoman Lauren Hansen said is less preferable to paved medians. "There's also new specified areas where U-turns are now permitted," Hansen said.

The stretch of road is near several car dealerships, diners and auto repair shops, as well as a busy shopping plaza. Thomas Druhot, a Peninsula engineer for VDOT, said the project was difficult to complete because the infrastructure for a road like Jefferson Avenue is very old. Druhot said many of the local businesses had been cooperative during the work because they understood the added value of the construction.

"We drew up some of the original plans, and when they say a pipe is supposed to be in one place it may be 5 feet over, which for an engineer is a very big deal." VDOT recently started construction on Fort Eustis Boulevard from Newport News to York County just a few miles down the road in a federal-stimulus-funded project which is expected to take several years to complete.